Jenna Sprague gave up a leadoff single in the second inning of Mount Vernon’s Class 3A state semifinal game against Saydel on Wednesday at Rogers Park.

Little did anyone know at the time the Eagles wouldn’t have another baserunner the rest of the way against Sprague and the top-seeded Mustangs.

The senior silenced Saydel with a brilliant performance, and Mount Vernon plated two fourth-inning runs on its way to a 2-0 victory and a second consecutive championship game berth.

Sprague outdueled Eagle star hurler Dakota Lake (30-5), who was good — but not quite good enough. Kenna Rollinger had both Mustang hits against Lake, and had the lone RBI.

Sprague sat down 18 consecutive batters to end it and faced the minimum 21 batters.

—“We’re very excited (to be back in the finals),” said Sprague, who is now 26-2 on the year. “When I’m out there, the team has my back no matter what.

“I know I have to be at my best to get us where we want to be, but all of my teammates feel the same way. It’s going to take all of us to get the job done.”

Mount Vernon lost to Davenport Assumption (36-8) in the 3A finals a year ago, 10-5. Sprague said her squad watched a replay of the contest on the 170-mile trip back home from Fort Dodge last summer — then again on the way to Rogers Park this week.

“We’re very excited to get (another chance),” said Sprague, who struck out six. “We saw some things we needed to fix and do differently this time around.”

The 3A final between the Mustangs and Knights will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday back on Kruger Seeds Field.

“The underclassmen want to finish this for the seniors,” Rollinger said. “Jenna was great out there. She’s kind of stone cold (when she’s pitching).

“Our motto this year has been ‘unfinished business.’ This is what we’ve been working so hard for.”

Saydel meets Williamsburg (33-11) for 3A bronze on Iowa Central Field at 1 p.m. Friday.

MOUNT VERNON 2,

SAYDEL 1

Saydel 000 000 0 — 0 1 2

Mt. Vernon 000 200 x — 2 2 0

WP–Jenna Sprague (26-2; 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K); LP–Dakota Lake (30-5; 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K). SB–MV: Addison Gookin, Maia Bentley, Ashlyn Steen, Courtney Franck.